When negotiating, how do you solicit cooperation? You can browbeat someone; you can cajole them; you can be very amenable to their every whim, and yet, you may still be unsuccessful at soliciting her cooperation. The one thing you must do, in order to give someone what she wants and needs is to understand why she wants and needs what she is seeking. The following are 5 1/2 ways you can solicit cooperation when negotiating.

1. Be honest:
Where and when possible, be honest. Some situations may require that you shave the truth, but unless you’re negotiating in a hostile situation, one in which the other negotiator is not being as forthright as she should, walk the path of truth. The truth, applied with sincerity, will tend to engender support for your cause. Always strive to be honest, but weigh the cost of doing so, depending upon the situation in which you negotiate.

2. Know mental strength:
You must know your strengths and weaknesses, along with those of the other negotiator in order to solicit cooperation. Seek to understand the mindset of the other negotiator before attempting to sway her. Understand her true source of motivation and cater to it. Before soliciting her assistance, reveal yourself as a nonthreatening person who only seeks understanding, in order to be understood.

3. Know your target:
Three questions to ask the other negotiator are:

What do you want?
What are you seeking?
How will you know when you’ve received/achieved it?

By asking such questions, you’ll receive her ‘measuring stick’ for that which is important to her. In addressing her needs, you will have an unequivocal mark upon which to aim and to measure the outcome based on what she seeks from the negotiation.

4. Consider begging:
Yes, I said it! If all else fails, when the stakes are high and none of your attempts bear fruit, consider begging to solicit support. With some individuals, such actions are very appealing. Just be mindful of to whom you are begging, because it can also be a turn-off.

5. Speak in the positive:
When communicating, express your positions in the positive. Instead of saying, “I don’t think point A warrants much merit”, say instead, “I prefer point B.” In so doing, you’ll be infusing the conversation with positivity. You’ll also subliminally, plant the thought of being positive as you solicit support.

5.5 Let it go:
Never be afraid of letting go. You won’t be able to convince everyone to see things your way. Some people will never sense the value you possess. In such cases, find others with whom to negotiate. When you negotiate, you should have alternate sources from which to receive what you seek. In addition, by showing that you’re willing to walk away, you can enhance your position.

As you negotiate, if you apply the appropriate strategy to solicit cooperation, in the right manner, and at the right time, in the right place, more often than not, you’ll get the assistance you seek … and everything will be right with the world.

The Negotiation Tips Are …
• Always remember, in a negotiation, timing is everything. Just because someone is not amenable to your offer today does not mean she won’t be agreeable tomorrow. Assess her desirability to connect with you, and time your attempts to solicit her support when the time is best suited for her to do so.
• Consider the size of the emotional stage the other negotiator wishes to stand on and how she wishes to be perceived. If she wants to be recognized as being magnanimous, feed that need in her. By addressing the need that has her highest desire, you can assist her in achieving the emotional feeling she’s seeking and she’ll be more willing to assist you.
• When negotiating, always strive to align your actions to match the outcome you and the other negotiator seek from the negotiation.

If you would like to have Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator as a keynote speaker, trainer, or coach at your company, group, or organization, contact him by sending an e-mail to The Master Negotiator and begin maximization your resources.